Monday, April 6, 2009

Hartley opens more space for new homes

Although the city previously has expanded its housing opportunities with Phase I and Phase II of the Morningside Addition, the lots were filling up and citizens wanted more options.

"We had existing homes for sale, but nothing new to build on," said city clerk/administrator Brian Pals. "Plus, with the ethanol plant being online, we felt there might be a need for new houses."

So, the city conducted a survey to see just what the citizens desired.

The result?

More lots and larger lots.

To meet the request, Hartley Economic Development Corporation, along with the city, partnered to find an ideal location for another addition.

"We looked at several different options of areas to build the subdivision," Pals said.

And the city found an ideal location in an area of land located in the southeast portion of Hartley. The new addition, deemed Pine Grove First Addition, aligns with the previous two Morningside additions and allows for the construction of larger homes as all of the lots are at least a half acre.

Of the 13 residential lots, which range in price from $15,000-$20,000, two already have been sold. As an added incentive, Hartley Economic Development Corporation is offering rebates to buyers. If construction is started this year, which is the first full year of the completed subdivision, the buyer will receive $5,000. A $4,000 rebate will be offered if construction is begun during the second year, $3,000 will be offered the third year, $2,000 will be offered the fourth year and $1,000 will be offered the fifth year.

Through the new addition, Pals and Hartley Economic Development Corporation president Steve Leng, hope to address any housing issues the city has.

"Not only will the subdivision maybe attract new people to Hartley, but also maybe open up some of those midrange houses," Leng said. "If people who already own those midrange houses in Hartley build in the new addition, they open up some additional housing in town."

And, if all goes well with the Pine Grove Addition, Leng has plans for a Phase II. Those plans will remain in the background, though, until the new addition is about 70 percent full.

"Our hope is that when the first builder starts, it will fill up as soon as possible, but economic times have been a little though," Leng said.

And, that's OK if the new addition does not fill up right away as every city needs empty lots.

"It's just part of city and economic development to have lots available," Leng said. "It'd be a good problem to have if they filled up quick, but realistically, it took probably 10 years for Morningside to fill up."

While Leng said a sign will soon be going up in the Pine Grove Addition location showing which lots are available for sale, any interested party may contact the city office to obtain more information.

This article appeared in the April 4, 2009 edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.

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My name is Lindsay. I have strange fascinations with John F. Kennedy, Emile Hirsch and my cats. My daily morning routine consists of drinking a pot of coffee, reading fashion blogs and watching at least two episodes of Beverly Hills 90210, all the while wishing it was still 1990-something. Life was so much simpler then.